


He ruined me, and I am re-begot

by tigriswolf



Series: randomass prompts [60]
Category: DC Animated Universe, DCU (Comics), Smallville
Genre: Alternate Universe, Future Fic, M/M, POV Second Person, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-21
Updated: 2016-01-21
Packaged: 2018-05-15 09:16:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5780206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigriswolf/pseuds/tigriswolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clark said, "Please."</p>
            </blockquote>





	He ruined me, and I am re-begot

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [top five reasons lex luthor didn't take over the world. go.](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/170335) by seperis. 



> Title: He ruined me, and I am re-begot  
> Fandom: "Smallville"  
> Disclaimer: not my characters; just for fun. Title from Donne.  
> Warnings: future!fic; AU  
> Pairings: implied Lex/Clark  
> Rating: PG  
> Wordcount: 780  
> Point of view: second  
> Notes: so, seperis wrote a five things meme, and one of them was the single sentence _Clark said please_. Hence this.
> 
> Written in 2008. Holy shit. I found it again today and it mostly stands the test of time, I think.

He’s wearing that stupid costume, the one the whole world has come to recognize. “Lex!” he yells over gunfire. “Lex, where are you?”

You don’t answer. He can’t change this; it’s too late, gone too far.

“Lex!” he screams. Bullets bounce off him and a few fools lunge at him, trying to take him down.

But he is Superman, the being who fell from the stars. He is what you wish to become: a god.

He closes his eyes in what looks like—in a lesser form—might be pain. You watch as he defeats the ground soldiers without killing them.

“Lex! Please! You can stop this, Lex!” He stares into the camera, his blue eyes wide. “Don’t do this!”

You will be a good king, a modern-day Alexander the Great. The world will be better off with you.

His foolish cape flutters in the wind and his chest heaves as more cannon-fodder attack him.

Once, you called him friend. You would have done anything for him. You trusted him more than anyone, even yourself.

Once, you loved him. Now you—don’t hate him, could never hate him. He changed you… made you a better man.

So you speak to him through the microphone. “I do this because of you, Superman.”

He flinches. “Lex,” he says again. “Why are you really doing this?”

“I’ll end war, Superman. I’ll give peace to the world.” You touch the screen, memories welling.

“No, Lex,” he yells up at you. “You won’t. That much power is too much for any one man!”

You laugh. “And you, _Superman_? Do you have too much power?”

“Damn it, Lex!” he roars, lifting off the ground in his anger. “I don’t want this! I never have.”

You scoff, going to the console. One more button pushed and the greatest threat to your plan will be gone. “It doesn’t matter whether you wanted it or not, _Kal-El_ ,” you snarl. “You have it. You could rule the world.”

“And what about you, Lex?” he demands. “Absolute power, remember?” He spins in the air, searching for you, ignoring your soldiers as they continue the barrage. “Whatever your intentions, you’ll be corrupted.”

You pause, look back at the screen. Once, he knew you better than anyone. Once, you trusted him. But he never returned the favor. He never told you the truth. You trusted him with every part of you, even the darkest, most twisted pieces, but he never… he didn’t even give you the slightest crumb.

“Lex! Please!”

One slight push and he’ll be gone. No longer a concern. No longer a reminder. No longer anything.

He is beautiful. Has always been beautiful, since that day he pulled you from the river. He was young, then, still learning. Now he is a man—he is Superman. He is the world’s hero, the world’s darling.

If you destroy him, no one will have the power to stop you. If you destroy him, no one will dare.

If you destroy him, there will never be a chance of going back.

“Lex…” He sinks to the ground, shoulders slumping. “Don’t do this. It won’t…” He sighs, looking up into the camera. All you see is the boy who saved you. He whispers, “Please.”

Your hand drops to your side and you step back from the console. You had been sure the boy was dead, swallowed up by Superman.

But he stares up at you, through years and miles, and you collapse into your chair, breath caught.

“Please, Lex,” he whispers again, tears on his face and in his voice.

You had loved him. You still love him, even wrapped in that terrible outfit, that eyesore, with the stupid cape.

“Clark,” you say, the first time his name has passed your lips since Superman. “Clark, what can I do?”

“Let me come to you, Lex,” he says.

You watch him waiting, ready to help. He is not a god.

He’s that boy who pulled you from the river.

You leave the control room, taking off the kryptonite ring. Hurrying down the stairs, you call all your underlings and allies, telling them the change of plans.

He’s waiting for you, surrounded by fallen cannon-fodder. He is untouched, beautiful, stardust given body. He fell from the sky, completely beyond human comprehension.

You stare at him, within reach for the first time since it all went to Hell.

“Lex.” He doesn’t move, letting you choose. You can finish the plan. You can still take the world.

He’ll let you destroy him, and that takes your breath away.

You approach slowly, reaching up to touch his face. He is warm, but he shivers. “Lex,” he murmurs. “Lex.”

You say, “Clark.”


End file.
